Shymkent’s monuments are mostly modern, and its real charm is its street life. This is a southern city: people stay indoors through the heat of the day and come out in the evening to walk, eat ice cream, push prams and listen to buskers. The best way to see it is to join them on a loop through the central parks and squares.
The anchor points are Ordabasy Square, where three streets named after the great Kazakh judges Tole Bi, Kazybek Bi and Aiteke Bi meet beneath the Zher-Ana ("Mother Earth") monument; Independence Park, opened in 2011 for the twentieth anniversary of independence; the pedestrian Arbat; the family-friendly Ken Baba ethnopark; and the big, leafy Dendropark arboretum on the edge of the centre.
Top things to do at Independence Park, Ordabasy Square & the Arbat
Ordabasy Square
The symbolic centre of the city. The tall column is topped by a female figure holding swallows aloft; around it are fountains and a wide staircase with a view down over the old quarter. It is named after the Ordabasy hill, where the three Kazakh zhuzes united against the Dzungars in 1726.
Independence Park
Enter under the monumental triple arch and walk up to the central monument, whose interlocking metal elements symbolise the unity of the many ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan. Fountains run in the evening in the warm months.
The Arbat and Ken Baba
The pedestrian Arbat is lined with cafés, street artists and souvenir stalls. Ken Baba, beside it, is a small ethnographic-style park with craft kiosks, playgrounds, a pond and plenty of places to eat shashlik — touristy, but pleasant, and popular with local families.
The Dendropark
Planted in the Soviet period with hundreds of tree and shrub species, the arboretum covers well over a hundred hectares and has ponds, jogging paths and squirrels. It is the coolest place in town on a July afternoon.
More to add
The Tulip fountain (the tulip is the city’s emblem), Abay Park with its war memorial, the Alley of Glory, the zoo, and the city’s drama and opera theatres are all within a short taxi ride.
How to get to Independence Park, Ordabasy Square & the Arbat
- On foot: Ordabasy Square, Independence Park, the Arbat and Ken Baba can be linked in a walk of two to three kilometres.
- To the Dendropark: take a taxi or city bus; it lies a few kilometres from Ordabasy Square.
- With a guide: the private city tour by car covers the main squares and parks in half a day.
Insider tips
- Come in the evening. From June to August the squares are almost empty at 15:00 and full at 21:00.
- All the parks and squares are free. Rides and attractions inside Ken Baba are paid separately.
- Drinking fountains are rare; small kiosks sell cold water, kvass and ayran everywhere.
Best tours & tickets for Independence Park, Ordabasy Square & the Arbat
These experiences are the easiest way to see Independence Park, Ordabasy Square & the Arbat:
Private city tour from US$112 per group Shymkent: Private City Tour by Car with Local Guide
A half-day introduction to the city with a local guide and car: historic landmarks, parks and everyday streets, at your own pace. A new listing without reviews yet, but the only dedicated city tour — and good value when the price is shared between three.
- Citadel, squares and parks by private car
- Flexible route with a local guide
- Price is per group of up to three
Private day trip from US$290 per group Shymkent Day Tour from Tashkent
By far the most-reviewed Shymkent product: a private day trip from the Uzbek capital that handles the border crossing and shows you the highlights of the city before bringing you back to Tashkent. A neat way to add a second country to an Uzbekistan trip.
- Cross the Uzbek–Kazakh border with help
- Shymkent’s parks, squares and museums
- Price is per group of up to three
